Machine for forming edges of plates.



PATENTED JULY 2. 1907.

I J. MILLEN. MACHINE FOR ronmme EDGES 0F PLATES.

APPLIOATIOH TILED FEB. 6, 1907.

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PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

I. MILLEN. 'MAGHINE FOR FORMING BDGBS 0F PLATES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 5, 1907.

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PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

APPLIOATION rILBn H23. 5, 1907.

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THE Nbnms PETER: co., WASHINGTON.- n. c.

JAMES MILLEN, OF REVERE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR FORMING EDGES OF PLATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed February 5,1907. Serial No. 855,847.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that 1, JAMES MILLEN, of Revere, in the county of Suffolkand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Machines for Forming Edges of Plates, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to machines for forming a true edge surface on asheet of plate glass or other material, the chief object of theinvention being to bevel the edges of plate glass sheets intended forshow windows, Where two sheets of glass are abutted together, edge toedge, to form an angle, clamps being employed at intervals to hold theedges in contact with each other.

It is very desirable that the two contacting edges be finished withgreat accuracy, in order that they may have a practically air and watertight fit against each other. On large sheets or panes of plate glass ithas heretofore been a matter of considerable difliculty to form theabutting edges absolutely straight and true and at the desired angle tothe sides of the plate.

My invention is embodied in certain improved mechanism for accuratelyand expeditiously forming the edges .of sheets or panes of plate glass,all as hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification,-Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a machineembodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of the same.Fig. 3 represents an enlargement of a portion of Fig. 1. Fig. 4represents a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 represents a sec tionon line 55 of Fig. 3, and an elevation of the parts at the left of saidline. Fig. 6 represents a section on line 6'6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7represents a section on line 77 of Fig. 6.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In the drawings 12 represents a fixed horizontal track, which issupported by any suitable means, such as legs 13, supporting a fixed bedor table 14, on which rests the sheet or pane of glass 15, the edge ofwhich is to be formed by the machine. The bed 14 is preferablyhorizontal, and is of suitable size to support the largest plate 15 thatis likely to be operated upon. When the plate 15 is in position on thebed, one edge of the plate projects over the corresponding edge of thebed, as indicated .in Figs. 5 and 6, so that there is an unobstructedspace below as well as above the edge of the 1 sheet to be formed, saidspace permitting the grinding wheel hereinafter described, to project atany desired angle under the edge of the sheet, as indicated in Fig. 5.The track 12 supports a grinding wheel carrier, which is movablelengthwise of the track, said carrier comprising a slide 16 whichengages the track 12, and has a sliding fit thereon, a vertical standard17 supported by the slide, and projecting upwardly therefrom, and a head18 which is adjustably connected as hereinafter described, with theupper portion of the standard 17, and is provided with bearings 19 inwhich are journaled a shaft 20, to which the grinding wheel 21 isaffixed, said grinding wheel being preferably a disk of cast iron, theouter face of which is suitably dressed or formed to have a grindingaction on glass when supplied with a suitable grinding compositionsupplied to the face of the wheel by means presently described. The head18 is rotatively adjustable relatively to the standard 17, so that thehead, shaft and wheel are capable of being tipped to give the actingface of the wheel a suitable inclination to produce the desired bevel onthe edge of the plate 15, as indicated in Fig. 5, the means forpermitting the rotative adjustment being such that the head is adaptedto turn on a horizontal axis parallel with the path of movement of thecarrier so that the acting face of the grinding wheel may be swung fromthe vertical position shown in Fig. 6 to an inclined position, as shownin Fig. 5, any desired inclination being attainable. The means forrotatively adjusting the headshown in this embodiment of my invention,comprise a face plate 22 formed on the upper end of the standard 17, andprovided with segmental slots 23 (Fig. 2) and a complemental face plate24 formed as a flange on the head 18, and provided with bolts 25 passingthrough the segmental slots 23. When said bolts are loosened, the head18 and face plate 24 are permitted to turn on the face plate 22, theirmovement being guided by the segmental slots 23 so that the movement isrotative, said slots and bolts constituting the equivalent of a centralstud or axis on the face plate 24 journaled in the face plate 22.

The portion of the head 18 on which the bearings of the shaft 20 aremounted, is preferably made as an independent piece or section 26,which, for convenience, I will hereinafter refer to as the upper sectionof the head, the portion of the head on which the face plate 24 isformed being termed the lower section. The upper section 26 isrotatively adjustable relatively to the lower section 18 on a verticalaxis to permit the acting face of the grinding wheel to occupy anoblique position relatively to the edge of the sheet 15, one edge of thewheel being in advance of the other, as indicated in Fig. 7, the object.of this adjustment being to cause the acting face of the wheel, whichis beveled, to bear on the edge of the sheet only at one side of theaxis of rotation of the wheel. The rotative adjustment of the uppersection of the head permits the wheel to be adjusted so that either ofits edges may project in advance of the other, as shown in full anddotted lines in Fig. '7. The object of this adjustment is to insure themovement of the acting portion of the wheel toward the acute angle ofthe edge of the plate on which it is operating, instead of away fromsaid acute angle, the principle being the same as that involved ingrinding a knife when the grinding tool is moved toward the edge of theknife, in-

grinding wheel moves away from the acute angle of the edge being formed,the material forming the edge is liable to be slightly fractured orbroken away, causing irregularity and raggedness. This is prevented bythe means for rotatively adjusting the upper section of the head tocause that portion of the wheel which is in the plane of the plate 15,to stand obliquely to the edge of the plate, so that only the portion ofthe wheel at one side of its axis, touches the plate, the other sidebeing withdrawn from the plate, as indicated in Fig. 7. The wheelrotates in the direction of arrow X when adjusted to the position shownin full lines, the carriage at the same time moving in the direction ofthe arrow Y. When the wheel is adjusted to the position shown by dottedlines, the rotation of the wheel and the movement of the carriage are inthe direction opposite that indicated by the arrows X and Y. The meansby which the last-described rotative adjustment is effected, as hereshown comprise a stud or trunnion 27 (Figs. 6 and 7) formed on the uppersection 26, and a socket or bearing 28 formed for the reception of saidstud in a part of the head which is preferably an independentintermediate section 29, as hereinafter described. The stud and bearingpermit the upper section to turn 011 a vertical axis. The upper sectionis positively secured to the intermediate section at any position towhich it may be thus adjusted by means of clamping nuts 30 engaged withbolts which'are affixed to and project upwardly from the intermediatesection 29, said bolts passing through segmental slots 31 in the uppersection 26. When the nuts 30 are loosened, the upper section may beturned freely on its verticalaxis, and when the nuts are tightened, theupper section is positively held at the desired adjustment. Theintermediate section 29 is adapted to slide between guides or gibs 31(Fig. 3) formed on the lower section of the head, said intermediate andupper sections being thus movable toward and from the supporting bed 14to give the grinding wheel any desired lateral adjustment. An adjustingscrew 32 journaled in an ear on the lower section 18 engages a tappedsocket in the intermediate section 29, the rota tion of said screwcausing a movement of the sections 29 and 26 on the lower section 18. 33represents a handle formed on one of the bearings 19 for convenience inmoving the head from one position of adjustment to another. I havehereinafter referred to the above-described mechanism as means forholding the face of the wheel obliquely to the plate 15.

The standard 17 is vertically adjustable relatively to the slide 16 tovary the height of the grinding wheel. The means here shown foreffecting this vertical adj ustment comprise a socket 34-, which issuitably supported by the slide, preferably by arms 35 formed as gibs orguides, on which the socket 34 may slide horizontally, the standard 17having a sliding fit in the socket 34, and adapted to move verticallytherein. The socket is provided with a clamping block 36 (Fig. 4) whichforms a part of the inner surface of the socket, and is adjust.- able bymeans of an adjusting screw 37 so that it may be pressed against thestandard 17 to lock the latter to thesocket, or released from thestandard to permit the latter to move freely in the socket. The slidingconnection between the socket 34 and the arms 35 permit a horizontaladjustment of the standard, an adjusting screw 38 (Fig. (3) beingprovided to horizontally adjust the socket, and hold it in any positionto which it may be adjusted.

While the grinding wheel may be rotated by hand or by any other suitablemeans, it is obvious that mcchan ism for rotating it by power isdesirable, and that such mechanism must have provisions for rotating thegrimling wheel while the carrier is at any, part of its travel. Themechanism here shown comprises an elongated driving pulley 40 which maybe rotated by power applied in any suitable way, and is journaled inbearings above the track 12 and bed 14, the length of the pulley 40being substantially equal to the length of the travel of the carrier ineach direction.

41 represents an intermediate shaft journaled in bearings 42 on theupper section 26 of the head, said shaft having a beveled gear 43meshing with a beveled gear 44 affixed to the grinding wheel shaft 20.The shaft 41 also has a pulley 45 which engages a driving belt 40mounted on the elongated pulley 40.

47 and 48 represent idle pulleys which are journaled in bearings on anarm 49, Fig. 5, which is pivoted at 50 to the carrier and is providedwith a. weight 51. The idle pulleys 47 and 48 engage bights of the belt46 in such manner as to hold another bight of the belt in engagementwith the'pullcy 45 on the head, as indicated in Fig. 5, provisions beingthus made for maintaining the driving connection between the belt andthe pulley 45 as well as a. driving connection between the elongatedbelt and the driving pulley 40. The belt follows the movements of thecarrier along the track, and therefore moves from end to end of thepulley 40.

The carrier may be moved along the track 12 to carry the grinding wheelalong the edge of the plate 15 by any suitable means. I have here shownpower mechanism for moving the carrier and for automatically reversingits movement at each end of its travel. Sui d mechanism comprises twosprocket wheels 52 53, the shafts of each beingjournalcd in fixedbearingsatopposite ends of the track 12, and a. sprocket chain 54 cugaging said wheels and attached at 55 55 to thc side in.

56 represents a driving shaft having two fast pulleys 57 58 and anintermediateloose pulley 59, the said shaft 56 having a worm (i0 meshingwith a worm gear til affixed to the shaft of the sprocket wheel 52.

63 and 64 represent belts driven from an overhead shaft, the belt 63being open while the belt (H is crossed. The said belts are transferableon the pulleys 57 5S 5!), the arrangement being such that the cross belt(3-1 may engage either the fast pulley 58 or the loose pulley 5!), whilethe open belt (13 may engage either the fast pulley 57 or the loosepulley 59. When the belt (33 is engaged with a fast pulley, the shaft 56is rotated in one direction, and when the cross belt (34 is cngagml witha fast pulley, the shaft; 56 is rotated in the opposite direction. Abelt shipper 6G is engaged with the belts (i3 (i4 and adapted totransfer or ship them as above indicated.

(37 represents a shipper rod connected with the shipper (36, and movablelongitudinally in fixed guide arms 68. The shipper rod is provided atsuitable intervals with collars 69, arranged to be moved by an armaffixed to the slide 16, said arm having an eye 7] which embraces theshipper rod, and is adapted to move ltltl thereon between the collars69, the arrangement being such that when the carrier approaches eitherend of its movement, the arm will engage one of the collars 69 and movethe shipper endwise, thus operating the belt shipper in such manner asto cause the reversal of the movement of the carrier. Suitable tensionof the sprocket chain 54 may be provided by means of an idle sprocketwheel 72, mounted in a yoke 73 which is supported by a spring 74.

75 represents a receptacle adapted to hold a grinding composition ormixture which is delivered to the wheel by means of an inclined spout 76which receives the mixture through the valved outlet 77 of thereceptacle 75. The receptacle 77 is supported by a bent arm 78 affixedto and rising from the carrier. The spout 76 is supported by rods 79from the receptacle 7 5. The receptacle and spout therefore move withthe carrier and grinding wheel, the spout being arranged to degrindingwheel and prevents the scattering of the grinding composition.

84 represents an elongated trough located below the bed 14, said troughbeing adapted to catch the grinding composition and water which may dropfrom the grinding wheel. I

It will be seen that provision is made for giving the grinding wheel anydesired adjustment, and for moving it back and forth along the edge tobe formed or dressed, so that said edge may be formed "at right angleswith the sides of the plate or at any other desired angle.

I have hereinbefore referred to the grinding wheel as preferably made ofcast iron. I desire it to be understood that said wheel is used for thefirst operation of roughing out the edge of the sheet in giving itapproximately the desired form, the bulk of the material removed informing the edge being removed by the cast iron grinding wheel. Saidwheel is detachably secured to the shaft 20 by means of a nut 85, asshown in Fig. 6. After the first or roughing out operation, the Wheel 21may be removed, and different wheels subsequently used successively forfinishing the edge. For example, a smoothing wheel of freestone mayfollow the grinding wheel, said Wheel being supplied with water duringthe operation,.and removing the rough formation left by the grindingwheel. The smoothing wheel may then be removed, and what is known as aWhite wheel, made of Wood, substituted for it, Wet pumice being usedwith the said white wheel. The white wheel performs the next step in theoperation of finishing the edge. The final operation may be performed bywhat is known as a rouge or bufling wheel, which imparts the finalfinish and polish. The said wheels are used successively andinterchangeably, each being applied in turn to the shaft 20.

It will be seen that the rotative adjustability of the head relativelyto the supporting standard, is such that the operating wheel may standin a horizontal plane, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. When theWheel is so adjusted, its periphery, instead of one of its side faces,may be presented to the edge of the sheet, the periphery being groovedto impart a semi-circular or a three-sided edge to the plate, accordingto the uses to which the plate is to be put] For show case work it isdesirable to thus mold the edges of the sheet, the molded edge beingsemi-circular or rounded in some cases, and in other cases polygonal. Itwill be understood that a series of wheels will be used for molding theedge of a plate; that is to say, a grinding Wheel, smoothing wheel,white wheel and a rouge wheel Will be successively used in thisoperation.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided for impartingany desired form to the edge of a sheet of plate glass without moving orchanging the position of the plate after it is once adjusted for theforming operation. I am enabled to do this by the described means forimparting the various adjustments to the grinding wheel and usinggrinding and finishing Wheels having different characteristics,successively as described. I have not attempted to show in Figs. 2 and 6the proper vertical adjustment of the grinding wheel when the same is ina vertical position with its shaft horizontal, and in a horizontalposition with its shaft vertical. It will be understood, however, thatwhen the shaft is horizontal, the acting face of the Wheel beingvertical, as shown by full lines in Figs. 2 and 6, the adjustment of theWheel should be such that the center of the wheel will be considerablyabove the edge of the plate 15. When the wheel is adjusted to ahorizontal position, its shaft being vertical so that the perimeter ofthe wheel acts on the edge of the plate, the adjustment should be suchas to bring the perimeter of the Wheel to the level of the plate.

Having in mind the capability of adjusting the grinding wheel so thatits perimeter will act on the edge of the plate, the shaft of the wheelbeing then in a vertical position, the importance of the horizontaladjustability of the socket 34 and standard 17 will be apparent, asaffording the only means for moving the perimeter of the wheel towardand from the edge of the plate 15.

I claim:

1. In a plate-edge forming machine, in combination, a

fixed track, a slide engaging the track, a head having a rotaryshaft-carrying an operating wheel, a plate-supporting bed adjacent tothe head, and adjustable connections between the head and the slide,said connections having means for holding the face of the wheel atvarious angles of inclination crosswise of the edge of a plate on thebed, and means for holding the face of the wheel obliquely to said edge,whereby the wheel may be caused to act on a beveled edge withoutliability of fracturing the acute angle of said edge, substantially asset forth.

2. In a plate-edge forming machine, in combination, a fixed track, aslide engaging the track, a head having a rotary shaft carrying anoperating wheel, a plate-supporting bed adjacent to the head, andadjustable connections between the head and the slide, said connectionshaving means for holding the face of the wheel not only at variousangles of inclination crosswise of the edge of the plate on the bed, butalso horizontally with the periphery of the wheel in engagement with thesaid edge, whereby a peripherally grooved wheel may be employed adaptedto impart a semicircular or other form to the edge of the sheet, meansfor moving the head vertically, and means for moving the headhorizontally toward and from the table.

3. In a plate-edge-forming machine, in combination, a fixed track, acarrier comprising a track-engaging slide, a

standard supported by the slide, and a head having a &

lower section which is rotatively adjustable on the standard, and anupper section which is rotatively adjustable on the lower section, ashaft journaled in bearings on the head and provided with an operatingwheel, and a fixed plate-supporting bed adjacent to the head, therotative adjustability of the lower section of the head being such as topermit the face of the wheel to stand at various angles of inclination,while the adjustability of the upper section is such as to permit theface of the wheel to stand obliquely to the edge of the plate.

4. In a plateedge-forn1ing machine, in combination, a fixed track, acarrier comprising a track-engaging slide having a guide or socket, astandard vertically adjustable in the socket, (the latter having meansfor positively securing the standard at any position to which it may beadjusted) and a head adjustably connected with the standard, a shaftjournaled in hearings on the head and provided with an operating wheel,and a fixed plate-supporting bed adjacent to the head.

5. In a p late-edge-forming machine, an operating wheel carriercomprising a track-engaging slide having a guide or socket, a standardadjustable therein, and provided with a face plate at its upper portion,means for securing the standard to the guide in any position to which itmay be adjusted, a head composed of a lower section having a face platerotatively adjustable on the face plate of the standard, and an uppersection rotatively adjustable on the lower section, and a shaftjournaled in bearings on the upper section and provided with anoperating wheel, means being provided for positively securing the lowersection to the standard and the upper section to the lower section.

6. In a plate-edgeforming machine, in combination, a fixed track, acarrier comprising a slide engaging the track and a head, adjustablyconnected with the slide, a

shaft journaled in hearings on the head and provided with an operatingwheel, a fixed plate-supporting bed adjacent to the head, an elongateddriving pulley above the track and bed, a belt driven by said pulley andadapted to move lengthwise of the latter, an intermediate shaft on thehead geared to the operating wheel shaft and provided with a pulleyengaging said belt, and weighted idle pullcys connected with the carrierand located below the head, said pulleys engaging the belt and holdingit in engagement with the pulley of the intermediate shaft.

7. In a plate-edge-Iorming machine, in combination, a

fixed track, a carrier comprising a slide engaging the track and a headadjustably connected with the slide. a shaft journaled in bearings onthe head and provided with an operating wheel, a fixed plate-supportingbed adjacent to the head, mechanism for rotating said shatft and wheel,and carrier-operating mechanism comprising sprocket wheels at oppositeends oi the track, a chain attached to the slide and engaging saidwheels, means for rotating one of said sprocket wheels, and meansoperated by movements of the carrier for automatically reversing thedirection of rotation to reverse the movement of the carrier.

8. In a plate-cdge-torming machine, in combination, a fixed track, a,carrier comprising a slide engaging the track and a head adjustablyconnected with the slide. a shaft journaled in hearings on the head andprovided with an operating wheel, a fixed plate-supporting bed adjacentto the head, mechanism for rotating said shaft and wheel, sprocketwheels at opposite ends of the track, a chain attached to the slide andengaging said wheels. :1 driving shaft geared to the shaft of one ot thesprocket wheels, two fast pulleys, and an intermediate loose pulley onsaid driving shaft, two driving belts, one crossed and the other open,adapted to simultaneously engage the loose pulley and one of the fastpulleys, a belt; shipper on gaged with said belts, and a shipper rodconnected with the shipper and provided with collars, and an arm on theslide movable between said collars, and adapted to engage the samealternately to move the shipper rod.

9. In a plate edge forming machine, in combination, a fixed track, acarrier comprising a track-engaging slide having substantiallyhorizontal guides, at substantially vertical guide or socket movable insaid guides toward and from the track, means for positively securing thesocket in any position to which it: may be adjusted, a standardvertically adjustable in the socket, and a head adjustably connectedwith the standard, a shaft: jourualed in hearings on the head andprovided with an operating wheel, and a fixed plate-supporting bedadjacent to the head.

In testimony whereof I have atllxed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES .\lllilil l..

Witnesses C. F. Brown, I). BA'ICIIIGLDER.

